Kirk Haworth, the owner and head chef of east London restaurant, Plates, hates the word vegan.
“I’d like to say it’s harder to get a star with plant-based food, but I’ve cooked both and it’s hard all round,” says Haworth, who trained at the French Laundry which is famous for its oysters and caviar.
Except for the two City guys discussing salaries at the bar, people have travelled from outside London, take photos of the outside but rarely of their food, and are noticeable for being dressed up rather than well-dressed.
The semi-open kitchen, which has that monastic serenity you only get when food is not cooked to order, is surrounded by a chef’s counter made from four felled London trees.
Plates in east London is a meat and dairy-free space, but its chef and owner hates the word ‘vegan’.
